FTC Signals It Is Sticking With July 1 Date for COPPA Changes

The Federal Trade Commission has signaled that it will not be postponing the July 1 deadline for companies to come into compliance with changes in its rule enforcing the COPPA (the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act).

The Digital Marketing Association, the National Association of Broadcasters, the Motion Picture Association of America and others had asked the FTC to delay implementation from July 1 to Jan. 1, 2014, saying they needed more time to implement the changes.

In December, the FTC unveiled the final version of the FTC's proposed changes and updates, which includes bringing geolocation, cookies (plug-ins), online user names, and photos, videos, and audio of kids into the definition of personal information that can't be collected without parental permission, and brings behavioral targeting explicitly within the rule. It also makes websites responsible for third-party collections.

Companies also have to ensure that any third party receiving information can protect it and its confidentiality and is abiding by new rules on how it can be kept and stored.